Monsters
by Kitteh4137
Summary: Mr. Nickels was hollering at her, yanking her face up from the water. In her gasp for breath, a split second, she met Credence's eyes, pleading. Plunge. Gurble. Sudden white hot raged filled him, remembering all the times when he was being beat that people just stood and watched. Mr. Nickels was a perfect match for Ma after all. His fist clenched, and the building rumbled.
1. Chapter One

Overhead, the evening sky loomed so menacingly that Credence felt it might have swallowed him whole, not unlike how he felt with the daunting task in front of him now.

He pressed his hat to his head, the wind threatening to steal it away. The only thing keeping him moving forward, was the possibility that he might find the child Graves wanted, which he so far he had failed miserably at.

It had been weeks since his last encounter with Graves and the man may have very well abandoned him by now, seeing as how useless he'd been. An uneasy pressure welled up in his chest, like a snake was coiling up around him. The very idea was suffocating.

Stopping, he pressed hands over his face and inhaled deeply, pulling down slowly. A large droplet splattered into his eye and from the side of blurred vision a light shot out from a boy's hand into the bin beside him, sending it clanging and rolling into the streets with trash scattering.

Wide eyed, the boy and Credence froze, staring at each other. Then all at once, the rain began crashing down and the boy bolted with Credence following suit, sending Mary Lou's fliers flying.

Credence's shoes slid on the wet cement as he rounded the corner after the boy, down the muddy alley of a building. The boy tumbled soggy boxes in Credence's way, dropping something in the process and Credence's feet slipped, sending him face first into the mud.

Out of breath, Credence's hands sunk into the grime as he heaved himself up, watching helplessly as the boy got over the chain link fence and out of sight. His hand smeared a heavy layer of mud away from his cheek, a cut stinging with the tinge of blood and soot from its impact on the cement. The rain soaked through his clothes, heavy, cold, and miserable. In front of him laid an empty firework canister the child had dropped.

* * *

As he walked back up the streets to home he paused to drop momentarily onto the steps of the Nickels' Family grocery. The rain had slowed into a pitiful drizzle on empty streets. The lights in the shop were out, like most of the other shops down the street. He wasn't certain what time it was, but knew it was past a reasonable time for him to return home without consequences.

He pinched the spot between his eyes, his head throbbing from the impact on the cement. If Graves had abandoned him, he wouldn't be able to blame him. Great wizard? The notion was almost laughable.

The ting of the shop bell behind him nearly caused him to jump out of his skin. The shop girl, whose name he wasn't sure of, stood in the doorway eyeing him with a mixture of curiosity and sleepiness. She rubbed her eye slowly and for a moment she seemed to look more through him than at him.

He felt heat climb up his neck and cheeks, burning hot when she seemed to focus on him. Long ginger curls fell down to the waist of a white nightgown that reached barefooted toes and despite being modest, he felt a lump forming in his throat.

The family had recently moved into the shop, but he'd only come across her a handful of times and found himself at a loss for words. His heart seeming to speed up in time to the rain that was beginning to pour again.

He was just about to duck his head and apologize for appearing at her doorstep at this hour when she spoke.

"You're the Barebone boy…" She spoke quietly, in a whisper and leaning in as if afraid someone might hear. Her voice wasn't a question as much as a statement.

Beyond her, into the shop he could only see darkness. And instead of turning on the lights, she seemed to have opted for a candle carrier. The flame flickered in the wind and she cupped a hand over it to protect it. She glanced back into the shop, listening carefully for a moment. He pulled his hat from his head and began to wring it nervously. He dipped his head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you, I-"

"Why on _earth_ are you all dirty?" Her whisper was suddenly bewildered and he gaped at her, too embarrassed to admit he'd fallen in the mud. She cocked her head to the side with a slight, sympathetic shake of her head. "Oh, your mother is going to have an _awful_ fit if she sees this."

Mary Lou. Of course, that's how she knew him. The girl held out her hand to him and whispered gently.

"Well, come on, I'll help."

He stared at her hand, longing sink into his stomach with a mixture of uncertainty and fear. He was not at liberty to deny her at this point, the rain roaring behind him with no sign of stopping soon. And Mary Lou would beat him regardless of when he showed now.

How appropriate would this look, though? The son of a well known religious freak being led away by a girl in her night clothes. The scandal. Mary Lou would probably murder him on the spot.

But he felt drawn in by the soft gaze she studied him with. Kind, wide eyes the color of roasted chestnuts, warm and inviting. A small, reassuring smile turned up at her lips at his hesitation, soothing. He took her hand and allowed himself to be led inside.

As they reached the bottom stairs he started to sheepishly compliment her home out of niceties, even though he could hardly see it, but he was shushed almost immediately; quietly, and much closer to his face than he was sure he should like.

"If Daddy catches you here, we might _both_ see hell on earth."

He held his breath, peering into the darkness nervously. Had Mary Lou met Mr. Nickels yet? Would the man be able to place him? Up on the second floor, faint snoring emitted ominously from somewhere in the darkness.

Turning to him again, a delicate, long finger met her lips for silence before leading him to the third floor and quickly pulled him into a room closest to the stairs.

The door clicked shut quietly behind her with the turn of the lock.

He peered around curiously, feeling out of place in her bedroom. Lace curtains hung in the window and at the side of her bed, a small rug to protect her feet from the cold. A knitted blanket thrown across the end of her bed. Compared to Mary Lou's church, the room felt delicate and homey. Was this the 'female touch' that he often heard people speak of? Mary Lou seemed to lack it.

In a room connected to her's, he walked forwards to the sound of water running, steam rising off the top of a tub into cool air. They stood in the bathroom in awkward silence. A scarlet blush slowly creeped its way across her face, causing his own face to burn.

Their eyes met and realization flickered across her face. She reached up and touched the burning spots on her cheeks then hurried past him out the bathroom with a ducked head. She said hesitantly.

"Put your clothes outside the bathroom door, and I'll do my best with them."

With that she shut the door behind her, standing still with her fingertips pressed to her lips in uncertainty. _Thud, Thud, Thud._ Her heart beat, she'd never had a man other than her father in her bedroom before, much less undressing to bathe in her tub. She wasn't quite sure what to do with herself, waiting till the bathroom door had cracked open and clothes were set out from the sliver of entry.

She couldn't help but, glance down at the bare arm that set out the clothes. She gasped at her own immodesty, snatching his clothes and quickly hurried out the room and down into the back of the first floor where she could scrub at the mud in their kitchen sink.

She could still feel the heat burning her cheeks. She hadn't even gotten his name, much less given her's. How rude of her. With certainty however, her only goal was to get him home and not have him end up in pieces. She'd seen the look of fear across the youngest daughter's face when Mary Lou had raised a hand to her. And, she'd seen the empty look in the oldest daughter's eyes, and the fresh lashes across the boy's hands when he'd taken their bags.

A deep aching in her chest caused her to stop scrubbing, hands resting in the soapy suds for a moment. He might have thought at the time that she couldn't possibly have known what they were from, but once you're familiar with what to look for, it's not hard to know.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

"Credence, Do you think Ma would let us have a piece?" Modesty pressed a finger against the bright red cinnamon drops in the jar. He shooed her finger away, embarrassed by the smudge left behind.

"You'll have to ask Ma, Modesty." He said quietly. The sound of bare feet on the wooden floor caused him to turn his head. The shop girl ducked out from behind a curtain to the back, causing him to straightening up and pull his hat from his head, smoothing down his hair.

But as she passed and he went to speak, she'd already averted her gaze. Modesty looked up at him, confused. It was almost like he had crumbled in on himself, his shoulders and eyes dropping. Had he somehow offended her? Perhaps she was regretting helping him at all. Or had he imagined the whole thing? His fingers gripped his hat tightly.

"Is Ma _laughing?_ " Modesty's mouth hung open, looking back to see Mary Lou speaking with a man who stood tall, stroking a full beard of ginger hair with a hand on his hip, occasionally gesturing grandly. Mary Lou nodded along to his story, listening carefully. Credence had to look twice just to make sure he hadn't hallucinated the smile she wore, quite an uncommon expression.

Chastity stood beside the pair, looking at her siblings, wide eyed and uncomfortable. She seemed to be begging for help.

"Well, we would certainly love to come, Ms. Barebone, if you and your family'd be so kind to have us. Adeline you know, with her mother gone, she could really do to be around some good Christian influences. Ain't that right, Adeline?" He called over to Adeline who seemed to snap out of the stare she was stuck in. The man's voice was rough, and Credence couldn't quite place the accent. Deep and Southern.

Adeline suddenly pulled her lips into a tight smile, nodding. "Oh, that would be wonderful!"

She bit her tongue, knocking a can of corn to the floor by accident. Credence reached for it at the same time she did, knocking hands, and almost heads. They looked up at each other startled and Adeline inhaled sharply, for a moment frozen. An apologetic smile crossed his face, but she gave him a hard stare, snatching the can and turning her back.

Credence watched her, straightening slowly, shrugging his shoulders to readjust his suits jacket and Chastity pressed her lips together, watching the hurt on his face plain as day. And if pity wasn't the worst of it, when Credence turned, he saw Mr. Nickels staring him down like a watchdog while he spoke to Ma. Credence's jaw clenched and he swallowed hard.

At that precise moment, he wanted nothing more than to crawl away out the store, into the storm drain, and drown out into the sea. He tugged at his collar uncomfortably, fingers digging into the weeks fresh lashes inside his hands, the stinging pain momentarily distracting him from the embarrassment boiling in his chest and up into his cheeks.

As they left, Adeline watched him sadly. His head lowered with eyes fixated on his shoes, a droplet of blood rolling off his knuckle and onto the floor. He didn't even bother looking back when the others waved and that made her feel more guilty than anything. Within moments, she had successfully crushed what little kindness she'd given him.

Her father came up and slapped his hands down on her shoulders, causing her to jump and inhale sharply. And he just took a moment and rubbed his hands over her frozen shoulders slowly, letting his presences sink in. She stood stiffly, staring out the window but not really seeing anything. The clock ticked loudly above them. Somewhere outside a car honked angrily and her father's silence rung in her ears. It seemed to be ages before he finally patted her back and walked away.

She exhaled.


	3. Chapter Three

The only sound was the forks and knives against the fine china that Adeline had set out in front of them. Overhead a chandelier with glass crystals hung, shaking slightly when the house creaked. Modesty kept wide eyes on it, like it might all any second. For the owner of a small grocery who'd just moved into New York, Mr. Nickels seemed well off.

Adeline sat across from him and Modesty while Mary Lou and Mr. Nickels sat at the two heads of the table. Beside Adeline, sat Chastity. Every so often, Credence would catch Adeline's eye, but it always darted away before he could be certain it wasn't his imagination. Wisps of hair hung out around her face from her braids and her fingers kept touching the pendent at her neck. Mr. Nickels cleared his throat, startling Credence from his thoughts. The older man had him fixed with a hard stare, glass in his hand.

"That was very nice," Mary Lou's voice broke the silence. "Thank you for having us, Mr. Nickels, it's very kind of you."

"Oh, please, call me Scott. There's no need for formalities."

The couple exchanged a smile from across the table that made Credence nauseous. He folded out his napkin over his lap. A wedding band glinted on Mr. Nickel's right hand and he wondered if Adeline's mother was still alive or if she'd run off from the man. Credence wouldn't entirely have blamed her, he seemed to hold Adeline under his thumb with barely a glance.

Earlier that day had been Adeline and Mr. Nickels first time attending the Sunday service and the whole time Adeline had stood beside her father with hands clasped and eyes turned down, just slightly behind him in his shadow. And, Mr. Nickels hadn't wasted time on inviting Mary Lou and her family over for dinner. Adeline had jerked her head up, seeming just as surprised as they had been. Credence had the notion she cooked the whole dinner herself.

"Adeline, would you mind clearing our plates? I think we might need a bit of room for dessert."

"Yes, daddy," Adeline jumped up almost immediately.

"Credence," Mary Lou looked at Credence dangerously. "Don't you think it would be proper to help Adeline with the dishes?"

Though she sounded polite, he didn't miss the sharp undertone in her voice that caused his ears to burn like a chided child. "Yes, ma."

As he stood and began picking up plate, he could feel Mr. Nickel's gaze burning into the back of his head. And when he glanced in the direction of the older man, he found him staring him down from over his glass, running a tongue over teeth.

* * *

They carried plates down the narrow stairwell, through the storage of the grocery store, into the kitchen in silence. On the stove set on a low simmer the smell of cinnamon apples filled the air, warm and inviting in the damp kitchen. Down here the atmosphere was light, like all the bad energy had been soaked up through the ceiling and squeezed out into the dining room overhead.

Adeline scraped away leftovers into the trash while water ran in the sink. All the while she watched from the corner of her eye as Credence was shrugging off his suit's jacket and rolling white sleeves up over strong arms that indicated he was no stranger to labor. She averted her eyes, feeling her cheeks burn and moved to stir the apples.

She couldn't deny she was attracted by him, something drawing her in like a mosquito to a bug lamp. Becoming a young woman in the time that she was, where more than ever women were fighting for their independence and right to work, Adeline would be embarrassed to tell you she dreamed of white weddings and the pitter patter of little feet.

The corners of her lips turned up slightly and she placed a hand over her stomach. Though, in her experience, things usually ended poorly for the mosquito. Her smile melted slowly and with shame sitting heavy in her chest. Just the same as the shame she'd felt taint her skin in the Barebone church under the watchful eye of The Cross.

No, it wasn't right of her to trap a man like that. To make him believe something that wasn't. There was a reason Father wanted her there. He said it would be good for her, and maybe he was right.

That wasn't just it though, Father was real lonesome since Mother left, and she knew it. Work kept him too busy for a proper family, work was the whole reason they were here in New York as it was. They moved around a lot. As long as she could remember, never really settling down anywhere. Some of The Brothers said he was wrong for keeping her like he did, but she was grateful for it. Though none of them liked it. None of them liked _her_.

"Ouch!"

Credence's attention cut to Adeline, who stood with a finger pressed between her lips. He hesitated.

"...Are you okay?" His voice soft, eyebrows turned up with concerned. He stood just a few inches taller than her and she liked that.

"Oh...yes, just a bit of heat. Caught the edge of the pot…"

He didn't respond, gaze lingering on her going back to the dishes. She had the feeling he still felt a bit hurt over that time in the grocery store. Or maybe it was that she hadn't so much as looked at him since then. She just knew she shouldn't be too friendly, but that didn't stop her from feeling bad. He always had this sort of look in his eyes, like a dog that'd been beaten too often.

The faucet squeaked when he turned off the water and he dried his hands on the white kitchen towel beside the sink. He was just about to turn and go upstairs when she turned.

"Would you like to try some?" She held up a spoonful of tiny bits of stewed apple.

Credence hesitated, appearing confused and apprehensive, glancing back at the kitchen exit where he knew Ma was waiting for him. And her father too, something about him scared him nearly more than Mary Lou did. But she just looked so wide eyed and hopeful, like she'd just offered him a bit of her life's work.

He leaned forward and he'd just taken a bite when Chastity came in. Adeline and Credence turned from each other so quickly that a glass was knocked over and sent rolling. Chastity stood in the doorway, eyeing them suspiciously; watching Adeline scurry away to the pantry with the spoon still in her hand, hands on her hips, pretending to find something.

A small smile turned up at the corners of Chastity's lips, like someone with a secret. She slipped the dish in the sink in front of Credence who avoided her gaze. And while she said nothing, she made sure to cast him a long, sideways look. The back of his hand still pressed to his mouth, eyes turned down. He swallowed the bite of apple whole. A lighthearted 'Hm..' came from her disguised as a sigh.

"Would you like some help carrying up dessert?" Chastity asked to Adeline.

Adeline pressed her lips together. Hands on hips. She didn't turn around. Face as scarlet as a cherry.

"Oh no, no, that's alright! I'll be up in a jiff!"

Chastity just smiled.

* * *

Over dessert they kept their eyes fixed on stewed apples over vanilla ice cream. Way more extravagant than Mary Lou had ever allowed. She'd always said excess was a sin. But with Mr. Nickels, she seemed willing to make an unnatural exception.

"Ms. Barebone, I wanted to ask, and I hope I'm not overstepping my welcome here. But I'm going out of town for a few days this coming week and I was wondering if you'd all be willing to have Adeline for just a few days. In this city, I'd hate to leave her by her lonesome in the house."

"That would be no trouble at all, Scott. It's important for a young girl in the city to have her guidance. She's more than welcome at our home."

His teeth clenched so hard a sharp pain shot up his jaw. Perhaps because Adeline was not her child, she would be spared, but with certainty they would not. Across the table, Adeline kept her eyes focused in front of her, a small, hesitant glance at Mary Lou giving away her unease.

* * *

Later that evening Mr. Nickels and Mary Lou stood in the doorway saying a long goodbye. The air was just starting to form a chill, raising goosebumps on their skin. Credence could just see Adeline behind her father's shoulder, like she'd spent the majority of her time that morning. This time when he caught her eye, she gave him a small smile, then disappeared into the house.


	4. Chapter Four

Mary Lou nearly stumbled over Modesty in her haste to answer the knock at the door. Pausing briefly to smooth down her hair and dress. When she opened the door, Credence could see Adeline and her father standing in the doorway with his hands placed protectively on her shoulders. Beside him came to stand Chastity and Modesty to greet their guest.

"Good morning, Mr. Scott." Mary Lou kept her head held high, bowing it slightly in a tilted greeting.

"Mary Lou, it's a pleasure." He reached forward to take her hand, placing a kiss gently on its back. Credence and Modesty exchanged a look of unease, then they both focused their attention at newly shined shoes.

"Would you like to come in?" She asked.

"Well, Mary Lou, unfortunately I'm afraid I really must be on my way. My train leaves in just short of 30 minutes."

"Oh, what a shame, we were just about to sit down to fresh biscuits, Mr. Scott." She brought her hand to her chin and gave a sweet smile. "We'll just have to make some for when you return."

Mr. Nickel's gave a broad smile.

"I think I'd like that, Mary Lou." He placed a hand on top of Adeline's head like she were a child. "I must be on my way, thank you again for your kindness."

He turned to look down at Adeline, standing a good bit taller than her and Mary Lou.

"You behave yourself, you hear?"

Adeline smiled weakly.

"Yes, Father."

When Mary Lou and Mr. Nickels had said their goodbyes and the door shut behind him all the warmth in the room seemed to go with him. Mary Lou didn't say a word in greeting to her and her smile immediately vanished, so that Adeline was taken aback. Mary Lou just returned to the living area to write her sermon.

The Barebone children and Adeline stood in the hall for a moment longer. Adeline feeling embarrassed that she were dropped off at their doorstep to be babysat when she was, in all reality, a woman perfectly capable of tending to herself. She raised her chin a bit defiantly at this thought, caught off guard by Chastity.

"We were just about to sort some fliers...Would you like to help?"

Adeline blinked.

"Oh, yes." And followed them off into the kitchen for a day filled with silence and gloom, shuffling fliers around till dinner. There were in fact, no biscuits to warm the kitchen. Or at least, the biscuits that were there seemed cold and were left untouched in the center of the table. Adeline wondered if they had been for her Father alone, and didn't dare request one.

As Adeline reached forward for another flier, her arm brushed against Credence's briefly. She looked to Credence and whispered a small apology, though he hadn't seemed to mind at all.

Every now and then, Chastity would watch Adeline and Credence catch each others eye, then look away embarrassed. She turned her eyes down to her own papers, folding what would later be placed in mailboxes, a pleased smile turning up at her lips. She glanced up every so often, waiting till they gave each other another look.

"Did you enjoy those stewed apples, Credence?" She asked, careful to keep her voice low for Mary Lou in the other room.

Credence jumped, breaking his gaze with Adeline and felt his ears get hot, looking at her in alarm. She gave a playful smile then turned to Adeline.

"They were very nice over ice cream, Adeline. You did a wonderful job."

Adeline lit up at the compliment, folding a flier with more zest than before.

"Thank you! They were my mother's old recipe, I found it tucked away in her old recipe book."

Credence couldn't help feeling a bit jealous as the two girls came to chat quietly but animatedly, Adeline's attention stolen by new born friends with even Modesty chiming in every so often. The topic quickly fell to cooking and preferences of baking methods. He felt lost to the conversation, as Chastity did a majority of the cooking, falling silent across the table to stew in his envy. His attention only brought back at the mention of the explosions around the city. Modesty chimed in:

"Ma says that it's witchcraft."

"Is that so?" Adeline asked sweetly, looking down at the little girl beside her who's feet hung off the chair and barely touched the floor. Modesty nodded.

"Why, that's what my Father says as well. And what do you think of that, Modesty?"

A corner of Modesty mouth pulled up to one side as she thought, looking for a moment, a bit troubled. She spoke quietly, looking at Credence.

"I wish I could do it, I'd protect Credence."

The table fell silent, and Credence gave Modesty a forlorn look. He was just about to speak when Adeline did.

"Oh sweetheart," Adeline took the little girl's hand sincerely, lowering her head to be closer to her. She spoke even more quietly than before. "That's quite noble of you, to want to protect your brother. But you mustn't say such a thing. It's quite a vile punishment from God, to be so unnatural. You don't want that, do you?"

Credence felt a dagger stab through his heart, twist, and tear all the way down to his stomach. All hope lost in a single moment. He looked at her in devastated disbelief but she never even seemed to notice. Adeline only smiled at Modesty then up at Chastity who returned her smile for handling the situation seemingly so easy.

"How about I fix us some afternoon tea? I'll be here a bit, so I may as well make myself useful."

* * *

On the third and final day of Adeline's stay, Credence laid in bed after breakfast and chores, resting briefly before he would have to help serve the orphaned children their soup. His mind turned over the words Adeline had told Modesty with a sinking feeling.

' _It's quite a vile punishment from God, to be so unnatural.'_

He wasn't quite sure what he had expected. Her and her father had, after all, attended their meetings and at the very least her father had always shown great support of Mary Lou against witchcraft. He should have known that Adeline would be no different, Mr. Nickels was Adeline's father and only parent, it made sense that her views would reflect his.

It was different for him. He loved Mary Lou like a mother, but he never felt that motherly care that Adeline must receive from her father.

It flashed through his mind: The belt slapping down on his hand. The pain rushing up his arm, bringing tears to his eyes. The shame he felt as he clenched his jaw and held back reaction, much too old now to cry.

He placed a hand to his forehead, heart beginning to thud in his chest at the memory, hands still aching with the lashes received not long ago. His thumb traced a faint scar just under his eye that he received when Mary Lou had brought the belt to his face. He remembered very clearly what he'd done. The travesty of a forgotten dish in the sink. Blasphemy.

He largely suspected that Mary Lou only kept him for chores and the safety of having a man in a house full of women. Though he doubted anyone would dare attempt to face the fierceness of her. But no, it was different for him, that he could so easily turn away from what he was brought up in. He could find safety in magic, that he could not find in Mary Lou, and that which Adeline must find in her father.

He stared ahead at a baseball he'd found outside, now sitting on his dresser, and tried to focus hard on getting it to move towards him. Trying to distract himself from the memories that now seemed stuck on repeat in his mind. There was a spell for this, he knew it, he'd seen Mr. Graves use it once. But...what was it? He couldn't quite recall...

Graves had promised to teach him magic, if he could just find the child. Which was proving to be even more difficult than originally thought. Credence glanced down at his watch, it was almost time to go down.

What had he even expected with Adeline? Once he found the child, he would leave with Graves, and Graves would become the sole person in his life. Adeline would be left behind in the city with her father and she would likely marry eventually without a single thought of him. It was a silly crush, he berated himself for it.

She was kind, though. A heavy blanket of misery fell over him.

Then quite suddenly, he lifted his head to look at the baseball. Accio! That was the spell! He reached out his hand and said:  
" _Accio!_ "

"Credence!" Adeline cried from his doorway. Credence looked at her in wide eyed horror, just as the baseball missed his hand and smacked into his face. He fell back in bed, stars shooting out in all directions of his vision.

" _Credence!"_ She rushed to him, going to grab his face, then stopping short as he pressed his own hands to his face. A muffled cry of pain escaped him.

"Ice!" Her voice was shrilly and she gather up her skirts, quickly rushing out the room and down the stairs to where she could retrieve ice from the kitchen.

Mary Lou had stepped out, so that Chastity stood alone cutting vegetables for the soup. She looked up alarmed at Adeline's rush.

"What's happened?"

Adeline struggled for words, dumbfounded. What _had_ happened? Though she was quite certain of what she'd seen. Chastity waited for a response but just got Adeline staring off unfocused with mouth agape and a slight shake of her head in disbelief.

"I don't know!" Adeline piled ice cubes into a cloth and rushed upstairs with Chastity quickly following suit.

Credence now sat on the edge of his bed with his face in his hands. When he looked up at Adeline and Chastity in the doorway, he was certain he was done for. But Adeline just rushed forward and pressed the cold cloth to his temple, just beside his eye, which was starting to swell shut and turn a deep red.

"What happened?" Chastity asked again, this time to Credence. The baseball sat beside him on the bed.

Credence struggled to come up with an excuse with pain still shooting through his head.

"I-I threw the ball, but didn't catch it." As he said it, he didn't even believe it himself. But, looking up at Chastity, she seemed satisfied.

However, Adeline sat stiffly with an averted gaze for a moment too long before turning eyes back on him, her distress poorly masked with an unconvincing short, nod.

He felt like he might choke on the panic that rose in his throat but he struggled to keep it down. Adeline continued to dab at the blood oozing from his injury, but she seemed entirely too fixated on his wound. Neither spoke in the presence of Chastity. How could they? His sister sat beside him and put her arm around his shoulder in a small, comforting squeeze.

"Oh Credence," She said quietly, "What are we going to tell Mother?"

From downstairs the church doors opened, signaling the return of Mary Lou and the children there to be fed.

* * *

The whole time Adeline stood spooning soup into bowls beside Credence, her heart pounded. Every time the church door opened she felt like her heart stopped. She glanced at Credence who stood handing the children fliers. His head fixed concretely forward, observing each child with the utmost focus. Not once did he glance her way. Tension radiated between the two so thickly that Chastity kept glancing back at them, no longer in impishness, but in concern.

When Father walked in, Adeline gasped so loudly that heads turned to look at her in alarm. She trembled, giving an awkward laugh, dropping the ladle into the soup then awkwardly fished it out.

"Oh, I'm so clumsy."

Credence studied her with upturned eyebrows and a blackening eye. Could she really be so scared of him? He could only imagine how terrifying witchcraft must be to her. People didn't burn at the stakes for lack of fear. He swallowed audibly, struggling to keep a frown from tugging at his lips.

Adeline watched her Father carefully as he spoke with Mary Lou. She looked back at Credence suddenly, as if expecting he might have been dragged away. When she found him looking directly at her with a mixture of misery and confusion, she turned away as suddenly as she had turned towards.

As the last of the children gathered their soup and they picked up the remnants of the event, Adeline gathered a handful of dirty rags and carried them towards the back laundry room so quickly that Credence felt she were running from him. It took everything he had not to run after her and rise the suspicion of Mr. Nickels and his mother, who stood chatting only yards away. In the sink, his fist clenched around a rag so tightly all the soapy water ran out and he had to take a deep breath to steady himself. He had to talk to her. If Graves found out that he'd been found out...What would Graves do? Would he disown him? Had he just ruined his whole plan?

He dropped the rag, following after her.

Immediately though, at the sound of his footsteps, she turned to face him, her face draining ashen at the sight of him. It nearly pulled the breath right out from him to see her so afraid.

"Adeline…" He pleaded. She was already shaking her head in short, quick movements. He could see it in her eyes ' _No! Stop! Get away from me!'_

"Credence! My boy!" Mr. Nickels boomed cheerfully in the doorway, slapping his hands on the boy's shoulders. The action scaring him so much that tears stung his eyes. Mr. Nickels gave him a rough pat. "What happened to you! Had a row with a baseball I hear?"

Adeline ducked out of the room so quickly that Credence felt the wind trail behind her. Outside the door, she paused, signing the cross. Should she go back in? No, Father couldn't see her so shaken. And...She didn't want to acknowledge the truth of what she'd seen. She only stood a second longer to ensure that Credence was able to keep conversation.

When she entered the kitchen again, taking over the dishes that Credence had left, Chastity approached her cautiously.

"Adeline, is everything alright?" She asked quietly.

"Absolutely!" Adeline said a bit too hurriedly, she paused, forcing a smile on her face, dipping her head to the side and dropping her shoulders in sincerity. "You all have been a wonderful host, thank you _so_ much."

Chastity furrowed her eyebrow for a moment, then smiled weakly, only nodding her acknowledgement.


	5. Chapter Five

Graves sat in his office at MACUSA pouring over paperwork. If there was anything he hated more than being disguised as Graves, it was all this _damn_ paperwork. How did anyone get anything done when nearly everything had to be documented and so much red tape cut through?

He gave a heavy sigh, pressing a hand to his forehead. The day was going poorly. The week was going poorly. The search for the child was going poorly, he suspected he couldn't have made a poorer choice of someone to find the child than for _Credence Barebone._

Despite the boy's last name, he doubted Credence had a solid bone in his body, flinching at every little sound. Cowering constantly. It disgusted him. But it was all he had. And now to make matters worse, _the girl_ had seen him.

With a flick of his wand, a hazy cloud conjured up in front of him the scene. Graves stared flatly, unamused as the ball hit Credence and Adeline shrieked.

"Credence, you imbecile." He cursed under his breath, leaning back in his chair. He knew her father. Scott Nickels, of The Brotherhood. He rolled his eyes, looking down at a drawer that flung open for him. On top of a thick blue folder of binded papers laid a photo of a dark haired woman with a mischievous smile. He knew the girl too, Adeline Nickels, daughter of Amoret Nickels, who never bothered to change her name after she fled. But Amoret had no contact with her daughter since the day, and he'd seen little reason to question her about it.

He assumed it was simply in her nature, not unlike how snakes abandoned their young in the wild, holding little to no maternal instinct. The marriage had been a mission, and the child simply an accident. Maybe Amoret could even smell the stench of No-Maj on her, like a fledgling contaminated by human touch. He was unsure.

His jaw clenched, the drawer slamming shut. To obliviate her might bring suspicion to the father, if not done right. But...Perhaps...Perhaps, she could be useful? He leaned forward on his desk, studying the hazy display of events with exasperation. It replayed Credence chasing the boy and falling in the mud now. Any wizard with an inkling of talent would know that the light was no magic. A stupid No-Maj contraction. A firework. It was obvious.

He spun around in his office chair to study a board of open cases behind him. On a paper thicker than normal was Scott Nickel's face, looking angry, enraged. The hand of the Barometer on his desk that measured the level of threat of being exposed to No-Majs, had been permanently situated between "Moderate Threat" and "High Alert" since his arrival.

Baiting the daughter of a Witch Hunter to his side, and if she wasn't dead yet, quite possibly a squib, might be his worst idea yet. He may very well end up with _two_ burdens. But then again, if she carried at least an ounce of her mother's... _gift,_ then perhaps Adeline could prove even more useful than Credence.


	6. Chapter Six

Adeline fell back against her bedroom door, exhaling heavily with eyes closed. Home, finally. This however, did little to ease the dread she felt. She knew that she couldn't avoid Credence forever, cursing herself for the lack of her ability to hide her expressions. He'd known immediately that she knew, and now here she was, stuck in quite possibly the worst dilemma she could think of.

She picked up a silver comb from her dresser and pulled it through her hair a bit rougher than needed, curls fluffing out. Eventually with some hapless hope, Credence would forget about her ever having seen what she did.

She laughed.

 _Knock. Knock._

She looked at her door cautiously, Mr. Nickels not waiting for an answer before he was pushing the door open.

"Nickels,"

Her stomach turned. "Yes, daddy?"

He leaned against the doorframe, standing with a hand on his hip and the other stroking his beard slowly. "That Credence boy seemed in a mighty hurry to catch you alone earlier."

She looked away, back into the mirror, brushing her long hair over her shoulder so that he wouldn't be able to see the ashamed blush creeping into her cheeks. She knew what she was being accused of.

"Oh, Daddy, don't be so silly" She tried to say as casually as she could, looking at him with upturned eyebrows, heart thudding, trying hard to still be his little girl. But she had grown up a long time ago.

"No, I'm not being silly in the slightest. I got my eye on you, understand? Ain't nothin' funny goin' on."

"Daddy, the Credence boy...He's kind is all," She could hear the pleading in her own voice, though she didn't sense any trouble. And she knew trouble. "I didn't do nothin', I promise. I...I think he wanted to help with the laundry is all. He's the thoughtful type is all, I can tell."

He studied her carefully before sighing, dropping his head in seeming defeat. "I want to trust you, Adeline, I do."

"Then _trust_ me daddy," She couldn't stop herself from giving a little stomp of her foot for emphasis. "I'm not like Mother, Daddy, I'm _not_. Have I ever been?"

He inhaled deeply, seeming to take consideration. Finally he dipped his head to leave, hands on his hips.

"I just want to keep it that way, Adeline. You're all I got." He said quietly as he walked away, leaving Adeline to look back into her mirror sadly, tears stinging her eyes.

When she picked her comb back up, her hands shook slightly. He meant well. But how long had it been now? Since he last raised a hand to her?

Sometimes she felt like she were getting through to him, but their relationship had permanently been damaged when her mother left...Was _driven_ off.

Beginning to comb her hair again, she thought back to when she was just a little bit, crawling into daddy's lap to pull a carrot off his plate. Mother sat beside him with the warmest of a look in her eyes. Had that been the last time she had seen her?

She kneeled down, pulling a small wind up record player from under her dresser. Sitting on her bed, she wound it up and Beethoven's

Clair De Lune drifted out softly while she filled her tub with water.

Her mind drifted back to Credence. The night she had helped him, she wanted to ease his spirit, but now here she was leaving the poor boy to wallow in dread. A wizard in a Salemer church. How ironic. And how dangerous. If Daddy found out, he'd have his head.

She sunk chin deep into the hot water and exhaled the day. Her hands covered her eyes, feeling the full weight of guilt on her shoulders, having left him. Was he not treated bad enough already? Did he not have enough misery? Was that kind of her at all? Certainly not.

"I will go to him tomorrow," She whispered, "When father is away and we can speak freely."

She recalled Chastity saying that Credence would be at the butcher on Rex Street the following morning, to gather meat for the weeks meals as he often did.

* * *

The next morning she carefully peered in through the Butcher shop window, heart thudding in anticipation. Cheeks turning bright red in anxiety, standing vivid against the emerald dress that draped over her.

What would she even tell him? Inside the shop, the butcher was wrapping a ham up in white paper, passing it over the counter to Credence. _Be good now, Credence, you mustn't use magic in front of anyone._ She scoffed at herself, as if that wasn't something he already knew.

When he exited he seemed so downcast, avoiding anyone's eye with shoulders hunched forward to appear small and she a stab of guilt, misery radiate from him in waves. Hurriedly, she grabbed his shoulder. He turned, so frightened he dropped the wrapped ham straight on the ground.

"Credence," her voice wavered. They both went for the package at the same time, knocking heads in the process. She winced at the pain in her forehead, holding his ham under her arm. "Listen, about the other day, I'm awfully sorry about..."

Her voice trailed off, realizing his attention was fixed intently over her shoulder. He looked at her only when she stopped talking. Then he looked back over her shoulder, and looked back at her as if torn on two different directions and something of utmost importance.

With furrowed brows she tried to find whatever was stealing his attention but the path was deserted other than a few people walking and a paper boy calling out on the corner. She narrowed her eyes, feeling just the slightest bit insulted. _What could possibly be more important?_

An apologetic expression crossed his face.

"I have to go, I'm sorry." Was all he said, avoiding her gaze as he began to walk away.

Adeline pouted, glancing at her watch. Two hours to go... Credence rounded the corner and vanish, deep curiosity tugging her skirts. It would be real quick, wouldn't it?

"...Oh, I shouldn't."

She began walking the other direction, headed home. Then stopped abruptly and turned the other direction after him.

When she rounded the corner she found him walking straight into the alley that sat between a lawyer's building and a bakery. Adeline blinked. Did he need legal advice? A cake, perhaps?

Her hand clenched the strap of her purse tightly, peering around the corner of the building. Her jaw dropped.

A tall, _handsome_ man with peppered hair stood cupping Credence's face lovingly, pressing his forehead to his, talking quietly, intently. Credence's own face hidden, though one hand floated near the man's hand as if he might decide to touch it at any moment.

Wide eyed, she pulled herself back around the corner. A _love_ affair?

She began walking away so quickly that she bumped into the shoulder of a passerby, who cursed at her. She looked back at the man stupidly as she walked away quickly, knuckles white with their grip on her purse strap.

* * *

Author's Note:  
If you've enjoyed the story so far, please consider leaving a nice review with your thoughts :) I would be thrilled


	7. Chapter Seven

Adeline set the dinner table rather forcefully that night, chopping vegetables with a vengeance.

"I'm happy for him," She spoke to herself mostly, though sitting on the counter watching her lazily was a recently rescued stray white cat, who's leg stuck out awkwardly, bandaged by Adeline. Father had always vowed there would be no more pets, but always overlooked them if they were brought in, she'd named her Olive.

"He should be free to love _whoever_ he wants."

She glanced at Olive who gave her a flat stare and then looked away with ears back. Adeline pointed her knife at the cat.

"Don't you give me that! I am _not_ jealous." She threw her diced carrots into the vegetable soup, broth splashing out onto the stove. In her shock, she had forgotten to even pick up anything from the butcher. But had successfully walked off with Credence's ham. She huffed. Now she had _two_ secrets and a ham that wasn't hers and he was probably getting whipped right now on account of her prying.

"Somethin' giving you a hard time, Nickels?"

She gasped at her father as he entered through the kitchen door. He set his hat on the counter, ruffling out his hat hair, then smoothed it back. She blinked a few times, trying to come up with something.

"Oh, just, you know," She said airily, waving a hand airily and he raised an eyebrow, but didn't probe her further.

"Well, if you insist," He rubbed the back of his neck as he exited the kitchen, calling back "Don't make dinner too long! Had a hell of a day."

"I'll be quicker than a jack rabbit, daddy." She called back, then cut a glare at Olive who she could have sworn rolled her eyes.

A soft rapt on the kitchen door made her jump. She hurried over and pulled back the curtain from the window and stared into the face of Credence with a horrified look. She dropped the curtain back and looked at Olive.

"It's _him_!" She hissed. Olive just jumped down from the counter and trotted away with a flick of her tail. The house was the last place that he should be. Adeline looked back towards where her father had left the room and listened carefully. When she was certain he was no longer on the first floor she poked her head back out the door with his ham in her hands.

"You can't be here!" She hissed quicker, _and louder,_ than she meant and Credence looked more than a little hurt, his mouth hanging open to speak with eyebrows furrowed but nothing came out, wringing his hat nervously in his hands. Immediately remorse filled her.

"Adeline?" Her father called from the doorway and her eyes could have popped out of her head.

"Go!" She nearly shouted at the poor boy, jabbing his ham in his arms and pushing him back in the process. He turned and ran, stopping hesitantly at the edge of the alley, gazing at her for a moment, then disappeared around the corner.

The stiff sound of hard boots on the wooden floor approached slowly, one menacing step at a time. Her heart climbed into her throat and her tongue felt fat. Mr. Nickels stopped when he was in the middle of the kitchen. Hands stuffed into his pants, his chin held up, staring down at her with a set jaw. She turned to look at him slowly, his gaze smothering her.

" _Who was that_?"

"Daddy," She said quietly, pleadingly, but this time it was different.

He jabbed his chin in the direction of the kitchen windows over the sink. "I saw him. Who was it?"

Her eyes landed on the knives, the rolling pin, glancing back at the door behind her. If she ran, she might certainly die, and she was no fighter. Her heart beat hard and fast like a trapped rabbit. Boot steps approached, slow and calculated. He looked down at the floor casually, then back up at her. He was almost so close she could feel his breath on her face.

" _Well_? I'm waiting."

"It was…It was…" She trembled. Tears clouded her vision. There was no hiding now. Least she could do was save Credence. Her lip quivered, her stomach twisted itself into knots that rose into her throat, choking her. Weakly, she said: "It was the newspaper boy."

The crack of skin on skin filled the room when his hand met her face and she fell to the ground in a crumble. Her eyes wide open with shock as her cheek pulsates, the imprint of his hand outlined red.

The click of his belt coming off was the only thing that brought her back to the present. She was up, running for the exit with nothing but the need for survival driving her. But before she could get anywhere, he caught a fist full of hair and dragged her to the sink. She screamed, high pitched and guttural, ending with a gurble as he shoved her face first into the water.

He hollered so loud her ears rang even underwater.

"Did I _ask_ to be lied to?"

* * *

Credence's heart lunged, the unmistakable sound of Adeline's shrieks rattling through him and causing a handful of people to look up in the direction of the store. He bolted back to the alley, and in the window Mr. Nickels yank her head back up, water dripping fast, then thrust it back in with her arms trying desperately to reach her father, grasping weakly at his face.

For a moment, he stared in a daze, unable to grasp what he was seeing. Then helplessness swallowed him as his friend drowned. If he helped he might just make it worse, effectively getting him disowned by Mary Lou when he was trying to find the child as well as making things harder for Adeline. Her father couldn't know it was him.

Mr. Nickels was hollering at her, too busy to notice him out in the alley, yanking her face up again. In her gasp for breath, a split second, she met Credence's eyes, pleading. _Plunge._ _Gurble._

White hot rage oozed through him, all the times he was being beat that people just stood and _watched_ flooded him. It seemed, Mr. Nickels was a perfect match for Mary Lou. Eyes clouding with rage and fist clenched, the whole building rumbled.

Mr. Nickels froze, looking up at the ceiling with eyes wide anticipation. Adeline's head still stuck under the water, the sides of her vision darkening.

Suddenly, he was yanked back, foot pulled forward just in time for him to slap his head on the edge of their kitchen table and fall unmoving to the ground.

Rasped gasps of air came from Adeline, who stumbled back, falling to the floor, coughing. Water dripping from her soaked head, forming quick puddles around her.

Credence burst in through the kitchen door, dropping down to help her sit up, but she just flung her arms around his neck and collapsed on him, causing him to fall back to catch her. For a moment thinking she might be attacking him, but she just clenched her arms tightly around him, coughs mixed with rasped gasps of air. His heart pounded. Shyly, hesitantly, he touched her back, pulling his hands back just briefly before settling them down again.

Across the kitchen Mr. Nickels laid stiffly, with his chest slowly rising and falling as if asleep. When Graves had instructed him to befriend Adeline...He wasn't quite sure this was what he meant.


	8. Chapter Eight

Adeline pulled away, suddenly feeling self-conscious as she gathered her thoughts and he glanced at her nervously then looked away shamefully as she took in her father on the floor and everything that had happened in such a short span of time. Water was pooling around her as it dripped quickly from her drenched locks and he was unsure how she would react.

When she went to stand, Credence quickly scrambled to his feet, standing slightly away from her with fists clenched and jaw set. Would she scream? Still out of breath and hands on her hips, chest heaving, she looked at her father as he stirred slightly, but did not get up.

Finally, she placed a hand momentarily on his shoulder before gesturing towards her Father, "Could you help me carry him to his room?"

* * *

They carried Mr. Nickels up the narrow stairway. Credence's heart nearly stopped, causing him to halt on the steps when Mr. Nickel's head rolled forward, bobbing. It wasn't till they had gotten Mr. Nickels into bed and Adeline shut the door behind her that he let himself breath. They sat together on a velvet covered bench in the hall that was mostly used to toss the newspaper onto at the end of the day.

He leaned forward with elbows on his knees while they both sat in silence. He glanced at her as she wrung out her hair, seeming lost in thought and content to just sit for the time being. But as the moments ticked by he could feel himself becoming more and more restless with the unknown before him.

"Credence," She spoke finally, letting her hair fall back against her wet dress and he tried not to notice the transparency of the damp fabric against her skin. She placed a hand on his and looked at him meaningfully.

He couldn't quite describe what he felt in that moment. Their relationship had been so strange from the time they had met, that he couldn't quite begin to wrap his mind around the reality in front of him. Her kindness always jolted him, always caught him off guard.

"Thank you so much," She said quietly, eyebrows furrowed and a little bit sad. "But you really shouldn't have."

The words stabbed him in the stomach and he began to sit up to protest. Her father would have killed her! But she squeezed his hand tighter, and he found himself subdued, his emotions quietened.

"Adeline...If you need help..." His voice shook. "To get away I...I-"

"No," She didn't look at him, then turned a serious gaze up. "Credence, _you_ need to get away. It's one thing if Mary Lou finds out about you, it's an entirely different thing with father. You should leave town, at least till we've gone."

He knew what she was talking about, because Graves had told him. However, Graves had told him they were nothing to worry about, just _laughs_ in the wizard community, and this had made him feel better. But by the look on Adeline's face, he felt just the slightest bit of doubt creep into him.

"I...can't," The words were hard to say. He knew she wouldn't understand.

"You _must_ ," Adeline leaned forward, gripping his hand pleadingly. But he shook his head and searched her eyes, wondering how much to tell her, too soon and she might be scared off. Graves wanted to help her, this he understood. But would she?

In a matter of a couple of weeks, Adeline had gone from being the girl in the store to being the daughter of a witch hunter and wanted by Graves. And, despite the jealousy that he felt with Graves' attention on the girl, he wanted to help her escape as much as he wanted for himself. But he could not do that by scaring her off.

Adeline withdrew her hand, smoothing down her dress on her lap stiffly when he didn't speak and he closed his eyes for a moment, the small gesture a rejection.

"Is it your family?"

"There's... There's this…" He searched for the right words, desperate to bring her back to his side.

"...Man?"

He blinked, straightening up. "Yes, How...?"

She straightened up as well, her whole face flushing red, for a moment seeming like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Oh well," She cleared her throat, "Credence, your secrets are safe with me. But, surely you could leave together?"

Credence shook his head. "We have to find a child first."

"There are children in every city!"

"No, not like this," He looked her steadily in the eyes. "There is a child, a witch or wizard, and I must find them first."

"Then...then the child in danger as well, as long as we are here."

Credence gripped his knees and nodded, watching carefully for her reaction.

"And...the man is a wizard as well?"

Credence nodded again and watched as her eyes grew wide with realization.

"Then we must find the child before my father does, and you can be on your way."

* * *

Later that evening, when Father had not yet woken and Credence had already gone home, Adeline was careful, and quiet, to pull one of her mother's old recipe books from the shelf. And, when she did, she flipped towards the back of the book, to a folded up piece of paper labeled Forgetfulness Tea.

Her heart thudded in her chest and her fingers felt weak as they unfolded the worn paper to the recipe inside. And Adeline knew, with much certainty, that this was not a simple recipe as she had seen her mother use it on many occasions of an argument between her and her husband. At the time, Adeline had been too young to understand, and her mother had always insisted on its secrecy.

" _This is our secret. Right, Nickels?" Mother giggled, booping her finger on a young Adeline's button nose. Adeline smiled, revealing a missing front tooth, the first of her baby teeth gone. She liked that they had this secret together, just her and mother._

" _Right," She gave a big, certain nod._

" _And one day," Mother dipped the tea bag into the steaming cup and handed it to her daughter. "When it's time, you'll have this recipe all for your own."_

 _Adeline nodded again, inhaling the intoxicating fumes of the tea. She turned carefully, holding the cup with both hands so that it wouldn't spill when her mom spoke kindly with a small, knowing smile on her pretty lips._

" _Adeline, do you remember the prayer?"_

 _Adeline's eyes got big and she shook her head. Her mother kneeled down in front of her, cupping her hands around the cup just below Adeline's for a moment, before waving a hand over the top._

" _Oblivi omni_ _apsque felix."_ _She spoke carefully, enunciating each word over the tea, glancing up with a smile at Adeline's wonder. "There, all done, you can take it to your father now."_

 _Adeline grinned, a bit of tea sloshing over the side as she turned hastily to find her father._

Now, as Adeline measured out the ingredients, her hands shook. And she jumped at the sound of toast popping up from it's maker, herbs scattering. She cursed under her breath, cleaning up the mess hastily before going back to her potion with a frown on her lips and anxiety in her throat. But even so, as she set the mixture brewing, she could feel pride boiling up in her chest and she wondered, _Would she be proud of me?_


	9. Chapter Nine

The park bustled around Credence and his siblings as they stood handing out fliers for the upcoming sermon Ma would be giving. It had been a little over a week since the incident with Adeline in her kitchen and they had been out together a handful of times, mostly spent covering the details with little searching done. Credence found himself telling her more about Graves and what little of the magical world had been told to him. Adeline seemed curious though, and always listened to him closely. He found more and more that he looked forward to meeting with her again. And, today was no different.

As Adeline approached, he smiled. The sun which finally seemed to have appeared glinted off her hair, making it seem as vibrant as ever. Chastity smiled to herself, taking in how happy her brother seemed to be lately, but he was too busy to notice.

"Hello," Adeline greeted them, smiling up at Credence from under her cloche hat as he met her halfway excitedly, pausing a brief moment before fumbling with the stack of papers in his hand to give her.

"Have you all been busy this morning?" She asked, looking to Chastity as she took her papers. Credence ducked his head and took a step back.

"Not entirely," Chastity pressed her lips together in thought, looking about her. "Four of us in one area may be too many. We might fair better to split up?"

For a moment Adeline and Credence stared back at her a bit confused. Mary Lou had never quite said they _had_ to stay together, but they were almost certain if she found the two of them apart their heads might be taken. But a light bulb seemed to pop over Adeline's head and her eyes widened with her cheeks reddening.

"Oh! Okay!" Adeline looked back up to Credence. "Shall we go, then?"

Credence looked from Adeline to his sister. What had just passed between the two? It seemed like some sort of unspoken language that only girl's possessed. He looked back to Adeline, who nodded at him, and he nodded slowly in return. Adeline then gave a small wave to Chastity with a thankful smile as they walked away.

It wasn't till they were down the road and out of sight that Credence glanced quizzically at Adeline.

"What was that...back there?" He asked and she pressed her lips together, clutching her papers in front of her with both hands nervously like she might do a purse, indeed serving as a safety blanket. She spoke carefully.

"I think that...your sister...Chastity, may...Well, she may...seem to think that... you're courting me."

She refused to look at him as she said this and he was glad, because he could feel the heat climbing up into his face and wasn't quite sure where to look himself. He tugged at the collar around his throat and swallowed. She continued quickly.

"And I know given the circumstances that's absolutely absurd! But well, she doesn't quite know those things." She looked at him now with eyebrows furrowed in embarrassed concern. "You know how it is, I'm sure?"

He looked back with his own furrowed eyebrows, confused, but not wanting to seem stupid, he just nodded in agreement. And for a moment, he could have sworn he saw a flicker of disappointment cross her face. But as quickly as it came, it vanished. Instead, her eyes lit up with recognition.

"Oh Credence! It's that _boy!_ " Adeline pointed through the crowd at the little orphaned boy who couldn't have been much older than 7 or 8. He carried a small stack of papers on his head, seeming to be at the tail end of his newspaper shift.

Credence had confided in Adeline that there was one particular boy who seemed to be isolated from the others that came into their soup kitchen. Whispers among the children said he was a witch among them and as such lead to a lot of bullying. Just the other day, Adeline had to put her foot between the boy and a group of ruthless children teasing him. Though this never happened around Mary Lou. Credence and Adeline had begun to wonder if there was any truth to their claims.

"Let's follow him!"

Credence wasn't about to object, thankful for the distraction.  
Within a short time, the rest of the boy's papers had been sold and they followed him through the increasingly dense streets till Adeline looked up with wide eyes at the sound of festive music and found themselves at the entrance of a carnival that had been set up spanning a large plaza.

The boy stopped at the entrance to count out the pennies he had to pay to enter, but the gatekeeper just shook his head and pointed to send him away. Seeing an opportunity, Adeline jumped forward.

"Wait!" She fumbled around her pockets, and pulled out enough money for all of them. Credence watched a bit shamefully, having no money of his own.

The child's whole face lit up, recognizing her as the one who'd stopped the bullying. And now she was getting him into the carnival?

"Wow! Thank you, M'am!"

"Oh, well a hard working young man like yourself, you deserve a bit of fun!" Adeline placed a hand on top the child's head. "Isn't that right, Benji?"

The boy grinned, front tooth missing. None of the adults at the orphanage ever acknowledged his nickname.

"Yes M'am!"

"Well then, what would you like to do? My treat."

Credence walked a bit behind the pair as the day wore on, watching with admiration how easily Adeline seemed to bond with the kid. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He couldn't imagine anyone ever wanting to purposely hurt her and the very idea that her father of all people would lay a finger on her both saddened and unsettled him. How long had it been just her and her father? She didn't deserve to be in a situation like that, not like him. He knew he deserved in part, some of the punishment he received, almost certain of a monster inside him. But...He wouldn't stay under Mary Lou forever, and he would see to it that Adeline would be free as well.

"Credence!"

He looked up abruptly, Adeline gesturing him over to a game of knock a milk bottle over. He'd been lagging a bit behind and she wanted to find a way to include him. She smiled as he approached.

"My arm is awfully tired, I think you'll be a much better winner!"

Credence felt his stomach turn in knots as Benji and Adeline watched him expectantly. Benji practically on the tips of his toes to watch.

"You can do it, Mr. Barebone!"

In that moment, Credence wanted nothing more than to topple those bottles over and win Benji the giant stuffed lion. Looking back at the bottles stacked on upon the other, he gave a hard, confident throw. The ball made a small clang and bounced to the floor disappointedly. One out of three… He would get it this time for sure. He threw again, barely budging one of the bottles. He could feel the sweat on his brow, heart pounding anxiously. He closed his eyes, willing the bottles to tumble over, a sense of anger at his own failure growing. He threw again.

The bottles tumbled! Benji and Adeline cheered excitedly and he grinned, able to hand the huge stuffed animal to Benji. Nobody noticed, however, that the bottles fell just a second too long after the ball. But Credence knew.

"Oh wow! Those people are swallowing swords!" Benji exclaimed, rushing away, leaving Adeline to twirl around to Credence with a big smile and a laugh that somehow simultaneously filled him with pride and made his knees weak.

Eventually the day wind down into contented silence, where all three of them sat on a short stone wall encircling a small garden, eating hot dogs. Mustard oozed out of Adeline's hot dog and narrowly missed her shoe. It was nearly time to go home, however, and little had been found out about why the children teased Benji so much.

Adeline cast a brief look over Benji's head, who sat beside her, to Credence, who seemed to understand it was time. Adeline spoke first.

"Benji...I've noticed, the other children seem to pick on you an awful lot, why is that?"

Benji, who had his mouthful, struggled to chew quickly, swallowing just enough to speak.

"They say I'm a witch, Ms. Nickels, but I'm not! I swear it!"

"Oh, why ever would the think something like that?"

Benji fell quiet, chewing. A big splotch of mustard dolloped on his cheek. He seemed to think rather seriously about this, a bit too long so that they began to wonder if he were avoiding the question all together. Credence spoke quietly.

"You know...When I was your age, I was picked on a lot too."

Benji looked up at Credence with wide curious eyes, it seeming to awe him to think Credence had at one point been his age, with his struggles.

"Really?"

Credence nodded, taking a moment to take another bite of hot dog, leaving Benji on the edge of his seat.

"How did you get rid of 'em?" Benji pressed.

Adeline chewed her hot dog slowly, knowing full well the group of bullies that still followed Credence around to this day. She wondered how he would handle this and as she watched him take another bite of his food and chew carefully, glancing off to the side, she wasn't convinced he knew himself.

"Someone kind saw, and she helped."

Adeline stopped chewing. _She?_

"Oh…" Benji said a bit dejectedly. "Well, I ain't got no one. They don't much pick on me when adults are around."

"Well, they think you're a _wizard_ don't they?" Adeline said, a mischievous smile turning up her lips. "Next time they pick on you...Why not trick them?"

Benji's eyes lit up, then seemed to die down again.

"I know it's wrong, but I sure wish I could use magic. Then they'd regret it."

Credence and Adeline shared a look at each other, over the boys head. Perhaps this wasn't quite the child they were looking for. He really seemed adamant on being unable to use the craft.

Adeline placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Well Benji, next time something happens, you come get me or Mr. Barebone here and we'll make sure to set them straight. Isn't that right, Credence?"

Credence nodded, standing and helping the boy to his feet.

"That's right," He spoke softly, placing a hand on the boy's head so that his hat fell down just past his eyebrows. "We'll set them straight."

Benji grinned, looking up at Credence and fixing his hat, all the confidence in the world that Credence and Adeline were his new heroes.

* * *

Later, Adeline stood a bit up the street from the orphanage waiting as Credence delivered Benji back home. Adeline had said she would walk home on her own, but Credence insisted he go with her, even if he would have to stop around the corner from the shop.

But the air was growing chilly, and goosebumps were rising on her skin. She shivered. Across the street she noticed a lazy group of boy's not much older than her, if not younger. She recognized them as the same group who sometimes picked on Credence, and who often made her uncomfortable with catcalls. She could feel their eyes on her, but she stood turned away from them, glancing back in the direction of Credence, her heart racing a little. She could feel the energy build invisibilly, waiting for one of them to begin the harassment.

"Hey Sugar," One called.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes on the exhale. And so it began.

"When's you gonna take me up on that date?"

It must have been the same boy who came into the shop one day looking for her. A brief glance in their direction was all she needed to confirm it. It was also all the encouragement they needed.

"Come on! You worried about your ol' pa?" His friend called.

"I'll be your daddy!"

"Don't be such a prude!"

One of the boy's got to his feet and Adeline promptly turned and began walking away. Credence could catch up with her further down the road, _away_ from these low class hooligans.

But she wasn't much further down the road when their catcalls faded and their attention turned to someone else.

" Ey, Witch Boy!"

Dread made her stop and close her eyes again. With another deep breath she turned to see Credence just rounding the corner, head ducked and in a bit of a hurry. One of the boys jumped up.

"Witch Boy! Come on, what's the hurry?"

"Hey Freak! Where's y'momma?"

"What's up with that dumbass haircut?!"

They all laughed and Adeline had a horrible feeling as she watched another boy get up, that they were about to follow him.

Adeline puffed up, mildly resembling an angry bird and marched towards Credence with her chin held high and with such determination that Credence stopped walking and looked up curiously as she approached.

Without a second thought, Adeline grabbed his face and pressed a kiss to his lips. The whole group falling silent but for a quiet and indignant. " _No fucking way"_. Adeline turned and started to walk away, but had to stop to grab the stunned Credence's hand so that he would follow after her.

They weren't bothered again. And Adeline, walking slightly ahead of Credence with his hand still in hers, was entirely thankful of his preference for men. She held her head proudly, the kiss had meant absolutely nothing at all. _Nothing_. But she couldn't hide the satisfied smile of a first kiss from her face.

And Credence, well Credence allowed himself to be led rather blindly, touching his lips in disbelief, replaying the scene in his mind repeatedly. The way the group of bullies shut up left him feeling almost as satisfied as her kiss.

When they got to the corner near her home, Adeline faced him, losing a bit of her confidence, standing straighter, and more proper than usual. His eyes fixedly on his shoes, ears burning, glancing up at her briefly, then looking away.. A long moment of silence passed and eventually, Adeline gave a stiff nod.

"That'll show them,"

Credence started laughing. And Adeline paused in her seriousness, then began laughing too. She couldn't remember having ever had a better day.


	10. Chapter Ten

Hey guys, thank you for continuing to follow this story, I've been really thrilled to see how much everyone is enjoying it. Your reviews especially mean a lot to me and definitively help drive me to put out new chapters.  
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* * *

As Adeline walked home away from the corner, she couldn't help glance back behind her, cheeks rosy from smiling so much. She caught one last glimpse of Credence on the corner, watching her. She tried to control her smile, pressing her lips together, shooing him so he wouldn't be seen.

He just backed up slowly such a sweet smile on his face, keeping his eyes on her with a look that made her stomach flutter. She shooed him again, unable to keep down a laugh. His smile got bigger before he dipped his head and finally turned around the corner towards his home.

How strange a reaction, she couldn't help thinking with the knowledge of him and Grave's relationship. But she wasn't keen to think of it too hard, and neither was she keen to admit she liked Credence a good deal.

She struggled to fish her keys from her pocket, unaware of the figure emerging from the alleyway behind her. A hand clapped over her mouth and dragged her back, the only sound she was able to make a muffled scream.

From across the street, Graves watched from the shadows solemnly.

Adeline fought against her attacker. He shoved her against the bricks and her eyes went wide when she saw it was one of her harassers from earlier. When he moved his hand away she only had enough time to gasp before his lips were pressed against hers.

She beat against his chest, shoving helplessly against him to no avail. He shoved back, her head knocking into the wall behind her. Anger flared inside of her, pushing against him now more forcefully. Blinded by the tears in her eyes, she almost didn't notice the color draining from his face, his eyes rolling back into his head.

Panicked. She struggled to pull away, constantly pushing back against him but he seemed cemented to the ground with her held to the wall. Frozen. Tiny blueish-purple veins spreading out from his mouth across his face slowly like cracks in the pavement. Another muffled, helpless cry escaped her. Desperately she pushed and pushed against him, her fist beating on him to let go. So _she_ could let go of _him_.

With one final shove, the boy fell away from her, thrown to the ground in a crumble. The silence deafening. Trembling, Adeline stood taking in his body which laid turned away from her with an arm over his face. Her body buzzing with the feeling of his life she wanted nothing more than to shake out of herself, to give back to him.

She looked up at the sky, begging for help from a God she knew had turned away from her even before she had been born. Taking cautious steps forward, she touched the boy's shoulder, flinching away from him as if expecting he might wake, but also filled with terror that he would not.

With another motion she turned him over. Milky, lifeless eyes stared back up at her and something short of a wail escaped her as she stumbled backwards, sliding down the wall behind her. She stifled any sound coming from her mouth with her hand, unable to breath as reality invaded her.

She looked around helplessly, the alley situated between two buildings which hadn't been occupied in a long time. Shakily she stood to her feet, hooking her arms under the boy's and struggled to drag him to the shadowy back of the alley between the rotting wooden fence and abandoned soggy boxes. Her pulse roared in her ears, blocking out any coherent sound from around her.

The body hidden from view, she backed up with trembling hands covering her mouth, and turned and ran for home.

Graves approached the body, coming to kneel in front of it, he took the boy's lifeless face in his hand and turned it side to side, analyzing the markings on his face. He sat back on his heels, propping his arms on his knees and dipped his head for a satisfied moment, giving a low chuckle before pushing himself to his feet.

"Adeline, you really are your mother's daughter."

* * *

Adeline shut the door to her bedroom and pressed her hands to the sides of her head and sat on the edge of her bed with wide eyes. If a report of the boy's body and his injuries came up, Father would know immediately it was her. After all, how many of her were there? Not even she was sure. And if The Brotherhood knew?

Her heart pounded. It was okay. It was fine. No body else was in the city yet. She would go back tomorrow evening and handle it, she would do something. She stood, folding her arms over her chest and pressing a hand to her lips, walking to her window, then turning around and staring aimlessly at the floor.

The boy. His life.

Adeline pressed her fingers to her eyes, willing the image of his stark face out of her mind. It was his fault. You don't attack women. Tears welled up again and she muffled a cry, pressing her hand over her mouth. She was poisonous and he shouldn't have grabbed her.

Shaking her head to rid herself of the thoughts that plagued her, she went to draw a bath, desperate to rid herself of the filth she felt running through her. She stared at herself in the mirror, her complexion and eyes some how brighter, reflecting the conflicting euphoria that hid behind her distress.

Guilt flooded over her with a new thought and she turned away from her reflection.

"Oh Credence," She pushed her hair back away from her face, tears rolling down her cheeks. A second longer, would that have been him? Her lips trembled, muscles tight with the tension that felt like it was strangling her.

She had to fix this. She had to hide the body. She had to control herself.

* * *

The next morning she descended quietly from the attic just before the crack of dawn, pausing carefully to make sure Father was still sleeping and all was quiet. One of her mother's "cookbooks" clutched to her chest. Hours of searching, but not a single spell or potion could be found to hide a body. Even if she had found one, would she know how to use it? She only knew how to make her mother's tea from watching her make it.

The sound of a door banging shut downstairs caused her to jump, dropping her book. Loose papers scattered and she scrambled to gather them up, running barefooted back to her room with heart thudding.

She listened, voices were speaking outside, She pulled the curtains to her room back just a smidge to see the store front. A black 1922 Ford sat outside the shop and to her horror her father clasping hands with Uncle Xavier.

She let the curtain drop back and for a moment she felt dizzy. But she quickly shoved her book under the mattress and hurriedly got dressed before rushing downstairs. The day was growing brighter now and more people were entering the streets.

When she got downstairs she stood stupidly on the sidewalk, her senses dazed in the sudden sharpness of the sunlight and sounds of the city, Father carrying boxes from the car past her.

"Mornin' Nickles, Xavier just got here. Mind givin' a hand?"

"Of course, Daddy," She said automatically, but ice flooded her veins as she approached the other side of the car only to stumble backward away from the sharp teeth of a black dog who snarled and barked viciously. Her foot caught and she hit the ground hard, the dog's teeth snapping shut just short of her face.

Xavier straightened up from leaning into the car and chuckled, yanking the dog back on his leash. He looked down at her seemingly through his nose.

"Well, well, well, looks like I found myself a _witch._ " He spat.

He didn't bother helping her up as he passed. The dog's milky white eyes bulging out it's head as it struggled to keep hungry eyes on her.

Adeline stayed down clutching her heart, trembling.


	11. Chapter 11

Adeline stood at her bedroom window looking down at her father and Uncle Xavier, the sun just beginning to set and turn the sky a vibrant red. She turned and paced, wringing her hands. _Oh no, Oh no, oh no._ Terrified panic couldn't even begin to describe what she was feeling. How would she get to the body now?

She pressed her hands to the sides of her face, attempting to heave a deep breath but instead what came out sounded more like hyperventilation. _Oh no, Oh no, Ooooh no._ They would find him. _They're going to find him._

She may have been able to feed Father her potion and cause him to forget the blunder of Credence showing up at the door _and_ using magic. But there was nothing she could do to stop Xavier from scouring the city like he had undoubtedly come to do.

Hot tears blurred her vision and streaked down her cheeks. She wanted nothing more than to speak to Credence right then and there. But what could she do? Tell him she probably almost certainly killed him out of her own self-indulgence masked as savior? That's what it must have been, hadn't it? The entirety of her inherent nature was blasphemous to God. Touch starved, it would come to mean something entirely different to her the older she got. Her breathing came rapidly and she could feel her arms and legs start to tingle with her panic.

She went back to the window in time to see Father leading Uncle Xavier and his dog back into the house. She trembled. She had no choice. She would have to leave tonight before they had a chance to scour the city. She would have to figure _something out_.

* * *

2 am.

But as she stood over the body now, staring at the boy's pale and veined face she felt no better How long had she been there for? She paced, feeling the same sickly panic in her chest. She bit her lip so hard she drew blood. 10 minutes? 20? 30? She couldn't very well drag the body out into the streets out towards the river. She attempted, but wasn't able to lift the manhole. Oh and then if the city found a body in the sewers, the complete and total _field day_ she could only imagine the papers would have.

This was it. Would she be skinned alive? Or burned at the stake? Perhaps if she ran now, she could buy a few extra days of her life.

She crumbled to the wet ground helplessly, burying her face into her hands, not even attempting to hide the sobs that rose up out of her now. She almost prayed, but there was no God to save her now.

Then, very gently, comfortingly, a hand came to rest on her shoulder.

She shrieked, spinning around and throwing herself backwards away from the gesture, certain Xavier had found her. But he hadn't. Instead, the man who had been with Credence stood there. Hastily, she wiped her tears away, sniffling loudly.

"Adeline, please," He held his hand out to her, one arm positioned behind his back. She took his hand hesitantly and he pulled her to her feet.

Then, he put both hands on her shoulders, looking at her with an expression similar to what he'd given Credence. She was left dumbfounded, with furrowed brows, as he brushed a strand of hair from her face. Everything. All of it felt like a dream. She was almost certain none of this had been real at all. She looked away from him down at her arm, pausing for a moment, then gave herself a hard pinch and twist.

She shrieked, jerking her hand away.

"I assure you, you're not dreaming." Graves smiled warmly at her, guiding her around so that they both turned to look at the body. Numbly she watched as he waved a hand and the ground reached tiny tendrils up around the boy, absorbing him into itself.

She felt herself sway slightly, and when her knees gave out from under her, Graves was there to catch her. She could feel his breath against her ear as she stared in disbelief at the empty spot where her victim had been.

"Your nature is a treasure, Adeline. Don't be ashamed of it."


End file.
